# Summary

This module examines:

- What the VU University Library can offer students.
- What scientific information actually entails.
- How scientific sources are distinguished from general sources such as Wikipedia or generative AI.

### Searching in LibSearch

- LibSearch is the university library's search system and provides access to scientific literature.

### Scientific publications are characterised by:

- Being written by scientists, intended for scientists.
- Building on existing knowledge, with clear and verifiable source references.
- Quality control through peer review.
- Research articles have a fixed structure, so you can quickly find the information you need.
- In the social sciences, (digital) books and articles are the most important forms of scientific publications

### Non-scientific sources:

- Policy documents, professional publications and newspaper articles can be relevant and useful sources of information
- Use the CRAAP test (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose) to critically assess online sources
- Always critically assess information from Wikiwijs or obtained with generative AI tools: check facts, compare with reliable scientific sources and always state in your paper where and how you used a genAI tool